Multi-purpose heating pad



APril 1965 M. A. FOGEL ETAL 3,178,559

MULTI-PURPOSE HEATING PAD Filed July5, 1962 5 INVENTORS Max? TIME? 4-Foss;

United States Patent 3,178,559 MULTl-PURPOSE HEATING PAD Mortimer A.Edge], 1175 E. Broadway, Hewlett, N. and [we Rubin, 2070 20th Lane,Brooklyn, N.Y. Filed July 5, 1962, Ser. No. 207,514 1 Claim. (Cl.219527) This invention relates generally to therapeutic heating devicesfor application to the human body.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide abody-heating device of the type described which is of a unique andadvantageous configuration for conforming engagement with various jointsof the human body.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide abody-heating device of the type described in cooperative associationwith a highly improved means for selectively retaining the device inoperative relation with a desired location of a users person.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide abody-heating device having the advantageous characteristics mentioned inthe preceding paragraphs, which is extremely simple in construction,quickly and easily applied and used, capable of economic manufacture forsale at a reasonable price, and which is durable and entirely reliablethroughout a long useful life.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon readingthe following specifications and referring to the accompanying drawings,which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will beexemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which thescope will be indicated by the appended claim.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a body-heating deviceconstructed in accordance with the teachings of the present inventionand in operative association with a users shoulder joint;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view, partly broken away, showing the instantdevice in greater detail;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the instant device as employed inconjunction with a users knee; and

FIG. 5 is a side view showing the instant device in association with ausers elbow.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and specifically toFIGS. l3, the heating device is there generally designated 10, andincludes a generally cup-shaped member 11 defining a pocket forreceiving engagement with a users joint.

The cup-shaped member or pocket 11 is advantageously fabricated of soft,flexible material, such as fabric, and is preferably of a padded orfilled construction. As best seen in FIG. 2, the cup-shaped member 11includes a front wall 12, and atop wall 13 extending generally rearwardfrom the upper edge of the front wall. A pair of spaced, facing sidewalls 14 extend along opposite sides of and between the front and topwalls. Thus, each side wall 14 is secured along one pair of adjacentside edges of the front and top walls 12 and 13, and extends between thefront and top walls. The side walls 14 may each be formed with agenerally arcuate edge 15 extending convexly between the lower edge offront wall 12 and rear edge of top wall 13.

As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the several walls 12, 13 and 14 of thecup-shaped member 11 may be formed of an outer layer 18, and an innerlayer 19, between which is 3,178,559 Patented Apr. 13, 1965 interposed aquantity of padding or filling 20. Embedded in the filling 20 areheating elements, as at 21, which may assume the form of a continuous,elongate heating Wire, as best seen in FIG. 2. The heating wire 21 mayhave its ends connected in the lower region of front wall 12 to a supplycord or line 22 which depends from the lower front wall regionexteriorly thereof and terminates in an electrical connection or plug23.

Extending about the bounding edges of the front and top walls 12 and 13,and side walls 14, there may be provided a binding 26, if desired. Aholding strap 27, which may be fabricated of any suitable flexible stripmaterial, has one end secured to one side wall 14, preferably mediallyalong the side wall edge 15. In practice, the strap end 28 may beanchored in the binding 26. The other side wall 14, medially along itsedge 15 is provided with one element 28 of a fabric fastener, such as avelvet fabric fastener of the general type disclosed in United StatesPatent No. 2,717,437, and sold under the name of Velcro. Thefabric-fastener element 28 may be anchored in the binding 26 and securedby stitching or otherwise to the outer face of the cup member side wall14. Carried by the free end of strap 27, as at 30, is a complementaryfabric-fastener element for detachable securement to the element 28.Thus, upon facing engagement of the element 30 with the element 28, thefree strap end is secured to the latter fastener element, and the strapextends between medial edge regions of opposite side walls. Of course,the fastener elements 28 and 3t) may be separated or peeled apart, asdesired.

As the strap 27 is of a length to engage about a wearers limb, such asthe leg 31 shown in FIG. 4, and the arm 32 shown in FIG. 5, it isapparent that the cup-shaped member 11 is adapted for removablereception and securement in receiving relation with a users knee andelbow.

Further, when it is desired to engage the cup-shaped member 11 on ajoint directly connected to the users torso, as in FIG. 1, an extensionstrap 35 may be employed. The extension strap may be fabricated of anyflexible strip material and is provided on its opposite ends withfabric-fastener elements 36 and 37 of the Velcro type for respectivedetachable securement to the fastener elements 39 and 28. The extensionstrap is of a length adapted to extend about a Wearers torso 38, as inFIG. 1, and by this construction greatly enhances versatility of theheating device ill. If desired, to insure snug receiving engagement ofthe cup-shaped member 11, as with a shoulder joint, the extension strap35 may be shortened by a tie or knot 39. Of course, the extension strap35 is readily detachable from the strap 37 and the fastener element 28,as by peeling apart the engaged fastener elements.

From the foregoing, it is seen that the present invention provides abody-heating device which fully accomplishes its intended objects and iswell adapted to meet practical conditions of manufacture and use.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by wayof illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, itis understood that certain changes and modifications may be made withinthe spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A heating pad device comprising a pocket-forming member of soft,flexible material sized and shaped to receive a human body joint,comprising first and second generally rectangular walls of the samewidth and having connected coextensive end edges and having side edges,a pair of opposing side walls, each side wall having a first edgeconnected to a respective side edge of said first wall and having asecond edge adjacent its first edge, a seam connecting said second sideWall edge to a respective side edge of said second wall, said side wallsbeing formed with a generally arcuate edge extending convexly betweenthe lower edge of the second wall and the rear edge of the first Wall,said first and second Walls being approximately at righ angles to eachother and respectively of general limb width, an electric heating wireembedded in said material, supply leads connected to the ends of saidwire and extending out of said material for connection to an externalsource of electric power, releasable strap means respectively attachedto said side walls and sized to encircle the limb to secure the joint inthe pocket, and extension strap means releasably attachable to saidfirst-mentioned strap means and sized to form therewith abody-encircling loop when the shoulder is received in the pocket.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Graham et al.219-211 Joy et a1 219-527 Strezofi 219-313 Fogel et al 219-211 Duren219-527 Frallic 128-165 Collins 219-527 Michel 128-495 X Cooke 219-528 XFine 128-100 X Switzerland.

RICHARD M. WOOD, Primary Examiner.

